The present invention relates to nets, and particularly, to those found in barrier or play environments, and relates more particularly, to shrink netting whereby the mesh of the net is capable of being made taught about a frame through the intermediary of a shrinkable net fiber which has a reduced length once wetted and dried.
It is often desirable to maintain a net mesh in a taught condition while it is held in place on a structure. For example, in the case of a barrier net used for constraining people from going past a given point, such as on a hazardous ledge or the like, it is desirable to maintain the person against movement beyond a given plane without allowing undesirable play in the netting to occur. Such play can only result in additional exposure to danger which otherwise would not occur if the net had remained taut.
Also, it is desirable in other environments, such as in a playscape, or the like, to provide a netting station which is firm to the grip and does not cause the net to be unstable when climbed. Additionally, in a playground environment, it is desirable to provide a mesh which is soft to the touch when climbed by children. That is, in the playground environment, although a net is made stable by virtue of its being shrunk taught about a frame such as disclosed in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/193,989, entitled, Shrink Net And System, which application being commonly owned by the present inventor, it is still desirable to provide a taught net which can be climbed by a child for example, without shoes and without worry about scratches from gripping an abrasive mesh such that holding of the rails and rungs of the net will not result in abrasion of the person""s skin.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved shrinking net whereby the net is capable of being shrunk in size to allow pretensioning of the mesh on the frame yet provides a soft and easy to touch mesh for use by children.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a netting of the aforementioned type wherein the tensioning of the net can be effected readily and without complication.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the appended claims and the following disclosure.
The invention resides in a flexible member for netting comprising a sheathing made from a flexible synthetic material and having a hollow internal confine extending therewithin. An elongated core member is located within the internal confine of the sheathing and the core member has a plurality of fibers extending longitudinally along the length thereof. The fibers are of a shrinkable material which when wetted and dried cause the flexible member to decrease in length. Means is provided for causing a corresponding length of the sheathing and the core member to become secured against the movement relative to one another such that upon wetting of the internal core member and subsequently drying, the flexible member and the sheathing are reduced in length.
In one embodiment, the internal core member takes the form of a flat braided rope and the flat braid rope of the core member is disposed within the internal confine of the sheathing such that the sheathing has a generally rectangular shape as seen in side view and is generally defined by first and second spaced long sides extending parallel to one another and by first and second short sides each connected to and extending generally perpendicularly to the first and second long sides and extending parallel to one another to define therewithin the hollow internal confine. Ideally, the sheathing is a multi-filament material formed from color fast polypropylene. The flexible member may be one of a plurality of such members arranged in a lattice of a plurality of the members disposed substantially coplanar with one another such that the long sides thereof overlap at intersections with one another at predetermined angles and being stitched at the intersections thereof.
In another embodiment, the internal core is a generally cylindric twisted rope and the flexible member is one of a plurality of such members arranged in a lattice of a plurality of such members disposed substantially coplanar with one another intersecting at predetermined spacings such that one member pierces the sheathing and core and passes through it and the other member pierces the one member sheathing and core of the one member and passes through it a nodal point to effect securement of the core and the sheathing in unity with one another. Preferably, the flexible member sheathing is formed of a multi-filament polypropylene material having a diamond braided configuration.
In another embodiment, the flexible member comprises a plurality of strands being a composite of elongated materials twisted to form a cord. Each of the cords has a plurality of elongated polyester or multi-filament strands intermixed with one of a plurality of yarns that shrink when wetted. The cords are twisted with one another to create the generally cylindrical cord.
The invention further resides in a method of supporting a net along a support member comprising the steps of: providing a support member having a generally elongated extent and having a given diameter; providing a plurality of lock fasteners which have a free end which connects to an opposite end to create a variably constraining diameter when pulled tight; providing a net having a border with warp and weft members extending generally perpendicularly thereto to define spaces therebetween; stretching the border along the support member and fastening the border member to the support member using the lock fasteners by wrapping the fastener about the net border and the support member in the spacing and pulling the free end of the fastener through a locking mechanism to lock the fastener in place.
Ideally, the method may be characterized by providing a net having a border which has a generally rectangular shape defined by first and second spaced apart long sides extending parallel to one another and first and second short sides each connected to and extending generally perpendicular to the first and second long sides and extending parallel to one another and locating the long sides of the border flat against the support member and securing the border to the support member with the lock fasteners.
The invention further resides in a system for supporting a net along a support member comprising a support member having a generally elongated extent and having a given diameter. A plurality of lock fasteners which have a free end which connects to an opposite end to create a variably constraining diameter when pulled tight. A net having a border with warp and weft members extending generally perpendicularly thereto to define spaces therebetween. The border being stretched along the support member and fastened to the support member using the lock fasteners by wrapping the fasteners about the net border and the support member in the spaces and the free end of the fastener being pulled through a locking mechanism to lock the fastener in place with the border and the support member. Preferably, a rubberized sleeve is disposed about the lock fasteners and the border is clamped about the support element in the region of the rubberized sleeve.